"(A ban has) obviously got huge merit for the City of Port Phillip because 75 per cent of our beach litter is cigarette butts. We spend gizillions on anti-butt strategies," Cr Gross said.

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The council has installed expensive litter traps in its drainage systems and uses new technology to pick up butts.

Despite a four-year "No butts on the beach" campaign, which included distributing recycled film canisters to be used as ashtrays on the beach, Cr Gross said smokers were still leaving their butts behind. "The year after it started, the number of butts were seen to have risen by 49 per cent," he said.

Cigarette butts made up more than 50 per cent of the litter found on Victorian beaches during 2002-2003, according to the Environment Protection Agency.

Cr Gross said there needed to be a cultural change, similar to persuading dog owners to clean up after their dogs. "Butts last for five years. It's really an unacceptable form of litter," he said.